Machine for canceling stamps and postmarking mail.



No. 777,270. PATENTED DBC. I3, 1904. G. VV. WHITE. MACHINE FOR ANCELING STAMPS AND POSTMARKING MAIL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25, 1903.

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4 G. W. WHTTE. MAGHINETUN GANGBLING STAMPS AND POSTMARKING MAIL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25. 1903. 4

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NO MODEL.

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ANON-)cys Patented December 13, 1904.

PATENT' OFFICE.

GEORGE VASHINGON VVl-lllTE, OF HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA.

SPECIFICATION forming part ci' Letters Patent No. 777,270, dated December 13, 1904.

Application filed November 25, 1903. Serial No. 182,684. (No model.)

To all wil/0111, 1125 T11/nay col/worn,.-

Be it known that l, Geenen WTAsl-rmcrrou VHrrn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Huntsville, in the county of Madison and State of Alabama, have invented a new and useful Machine for Canceling Stamps and Postmarking Mail, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for canceling stamps and postmarking mail.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved machine of the class specified in which are embodied improved devices for feeding the mail-matter to the machine, an improved conveyer for carrying the mailrnatter through the machine, improved means for simultaneously canceling the stamps and applying postmarks, and improved devices for inking the stamp-canceling and postmark ing dies.

In describing' the invention reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, in which I have illustrated a preferred. form elE embodiment of the invention, it being understood that changes in the form, proportions, and exact mode of assemblage of the elements exhibited may be resorted to without departing' from the spirit of the invention or sacrilicing the advantages thereof.

ln the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of the complete machine with a portion of the inking' mechanism broken away to show the upper surface of the printing-cylinder. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the machine approximately in median line. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the machine. Fig'. 4 is a detail view showing the mode of securing the printing' elements on the printingcylinder, and Fig. 5 is a View of a portion of a letter having the stamp canceled and the postmark applied by the machine.

Referring to the drawings, in which corresponding parts are designated by similar characters of reference, F designates the frame of the machine, which is preferably composed of a base having longitudinal sills l l and transverse tie-rods 2 2, suitably secured in the sills. From the sills l l rise three pairs of stationary uprig'hts 3 3, L 1l, and 5 5. At the front or receiving end of the machine pivoted standards 6 6 are mounted between plates T, which are rigidly attached to the sills l l. The Iixed uprights are all braced by transverse tie-rods 8, and the pivoted standards turn upon the end portions of a tie-rod 9, which extends across the base of the machine and has its ends supported in the plates 7. ln order to hold the pivoted standards 6 (i in position, braces l0 are provided, each consisting' of sockets l1, rig'idly secured to the sills l and the uprights 5 5, rods l2, rotatably seated in said sockets and provided with suitablyshaped portions 13 for the engagement of wrenches and havingthreadedend portions engaging' nuts lll, secured in the ends of sockets l5, pivotally mounted on the standards 6 6.

The standards 3 3, 4 Li, 5 and 6 6 are all preferably provided with recesses, into which are litted blocks 16, and bearings are formed in the standards and the blocks 16 to receive rollers, presently to be described. The blocks i6 may be secured in position by any preferred means, as the double-ended bolts 17 illustrated.

A cylinder or roller 20, which is preferably provided with a cushioned surface, is jour-` naled in the standards 3 3 to form driving means for the traveling apron or belt, upon which the mail-matter is carried through the machine. The belt is kept under suitable tension by means of a cylinder or roller 2l, journaled in the pivoted standards (5. The rollers 2O and. 2l are preferablyprovided adjacent to their ends with teeth 22, which act as sprockets, and the traveling' apron or belt 23 is provided at its margins with loops or eyes 24H01' engagement with said teeth. The belt is thus positively d riven and slipping of the belt upon the rollers completely obviated.

The belt 23 may be made of any suitable material-such as rubber, leather, or woven fabric-and its width will be determined by the width of the frame of the machine, which may be so narrow that a single letter or parcel will extend across the belt or may be wide enough to permit the placing of twelve letters or parcels in a transverse line across the belt. In the form of the invention illustrated the belt is shown as of suiiicient width for three letters or parcels to be arranged end to end.

transversely of the belt, and to insure the proper positioning of mail-matter upon the belt it is provided with cords or other. flexible members 25, extending longitudinally of the belt, and similar members 26, extending transversely thereof, sol dividing' the entire outer surface of the belt into a plurality of rectangular areas of suitable dimensions. Each of the rectangular areas will preferably be of sufcient size to receive an envelop of large size, and in the operation of the machine envelops of smaller size will be handled with equal facility.

The stamp-canceling and postmarking devices consist of suitable printing elements mounted upon a cylinder 30, journaled in the standards 4 4 above the upper ply of the belt 23. The cylinder 30 will be of proper length to correspond to the width of the belt and throughout its length will be provided at suitable intervals with cup-shaped members 3l, forming threaded sockets to receive the printing elements 32, which are adjustably secured therein by means of set-screws. As the printing elements themselves may be of any preferred character and form no part of the present invention, l do not limit myself to any particular kind of printing devices, but propose to use any form which may be most convenient. It is, however, to be understood that printing elements of the character used in ordinary hand-stamps or other machines for this purpose having means for changing' the dates and other matter therein will be preferred. In the form of the machine illustrated the printing elements are arranged in longitudinal rows upon the cylinder, the number of rows being' determined by the size of the cylinder and the divisions of the mail-earrying belt. Each row in the form of the machine illustrated will comprise three pairs of printing elements, one element of each pair being a stamp-canceling die and the other a postmarking-die. Six rows of printing elements are shown upon the cylinder, and the cylinder and belts are provided with driving mechanism so arranged that one row of the printing elements on the cylinder will be brought into operative position whenever a transverse row of mail-receiving divisions upon the belt passes under the cylinder. rlhe driving mechanism is so arranged, moreover, that the distance of the printing elements from the transverse cord 26, which determines the front boundary of a transverse row of spaces on the belt, will always be the same and the action of the printing elements upon the stamps so insured.

inking devices of various different forms may be employed to supply ink to the printing elements of the machine; but l prefer to make use of the inking mechanism illustrated, which consists of a roller 35, provided with a covering 36, of absorbent material,

and journaled in the standards 4 4 above the` cylinder 30, upon which the printing elements are mounted. The roller 35 is so positioned that as the cylinder 30 revolves the printing elements will be brought into contact with the lower surface of the cylinder 35 and will receive a supply of ink therefrom, at the same time imparting rotary movement to the cylinder. The cylinder 35 is shielded from dust by an arched shield 37, which fits over the cylinder and 'is secured in position by guide-loops 38, which receive the upper ends of the standards 4 4. The shield 37 is provid ed at the top with a longitudinally-arran ged slot 39, through which a supply of ink may be introduced, and spreaders 40, consisting, preferably, of strips of felt or other absorbent material, are secured in holders 41, arranged inside the shield 37, as best seen in Fig. 3. These spreaders contact with the surface of the absorbent covering 36 of the cylinder and effecta tolerably uniform distribution of the ink thereon. Any preferred devices may be used for supplying ink to the cylinder; but as the operation is one which need not be frequently performed an ordinary brush may be used to spread the ink on the upper surface of the cylinder, and at the same time a slow rotation may be imparted to the cylinder by means of a lever inserted in a socket 42 upon the end of the cylinder.

ln order to insure proper printing-contact of the printing elements and the mail-matter, a board 45 is arranged transversely of the machine between the standards 4 4 and is supported upon springs 46, which rest upon blocks or cleats 47, secured upon said standards. The board 45 is pressed upward by the springs, so that it presses against the under side of the belt 23 and forces it against the printing elements upon the cylinder 30. To prevent excessive sag in the mail-carrying belts and to insure proper positioning of the mail as it is deposited upon thel belt, a roller 50 is journaled in the standards 5 5 between the upper and lower plies of the belt and is preferably provided on the exterior with a covering of cushioning material upon which the upper ply of the belt rests.

The mail-matter may be deposited on the belt by hand; but I prefer to employ in connection with the canceling mechanism automatic feeding devices of the form illustrated. The automatic feeding mechanism preferably consists of a feed box or trough 52, divided by transverse partitions 53 into a number of compartments corresponding to the longitudinal divisions ofv the belt. The boX is supported upon bars 54, fastened at one end to the standards 5 5 and having the other ends extended through eyes mounted upon the pivoted standards '7 7. In each of the divisions or compartments of the feed-box there is provided a spring-pressed follower 55, which is preferably of the form shown, a retentionspring 56'of the arched form illustrated to IOC IIO

frs/7,270

gradually check the forward movement of the follower, and means for feeding mailmatter downward through a slot arranged in the bottom of the box. The feeding' means consists of a shaft 57, extending longitudinally of the box and provided with three pairs of feeding-disks 58, rigidly mounted thereon, as shown, one pair of disks being provided in each compartment of the feedboX. rlhe shaft is covered over by a plurality of arched shields 59, arranged one in each compartment of the feed-box and provided with slots through which the disks 58 project.

At the rear ordelivery end of the machine, a receiving box or trough G0 is removably supported upon one of the tie-rods 8 by means of hooks 6l, so that the box, with the mailmatter therein, may be removed from the machine and carried to the distributing-desk to empty the contents.

Any preferred form of power may be used to operate the machine; but l prefer to use electricity for that purpose and have illustrated the machine as provided with electric motors 65, mounted directly upon the base of the machine. Current will be supplied to the electric motors in the usual way, and chains 66 from the motors will encircle sprockets on the driving-cylinder 2O to impart rotative movement thereto. The cylinder 2() is prefm erably provided at each end with a sprocketwheel 67, over which travels a chain 68,which also travels over a similar sprocket-wheel 69 at the corresponding end of the cylinder 2l, mounted in the standards 7. The same chains pass under and contact with sprocket-wheels 7 0, mounted on the ends of the shaft supporting the cylinder 30, and also impart movement to the pulleys 7l, carried by the shaft 57 of the feed mechanism. The several sprockets are so proportioned that the relative rates of movement of the various parts of the machine harmonize to produce effective action and insure the automatic action of the entire mechanism.

l/Vhen the machine is used to cancel the stamps and postmark outgoing inail-matter, the cylinder 80 will be provided with stampcanceling dies and postmarking-dies, as illustrated in the drawings, and both kinds of dies may be employed when the machine is used to apply Athe postmarks to the mail received; but the use of both sets of dies for this work is unnecessary, and it is intended that the stamp-canceling dies may then be removed. The operation of the mechanism has been indicated in the description of the construction of the machine, so that a merersume will be sufficient at this point. The matter to be postmarked is introduced into the compartments of the feed-box between the springfollowers and the feed-shaft, being pressed down into proper position by the springs 56, and the machine is set in operation by starting the motors 65. The motors at once impart movement tothe driving roll or cylinder 20, which in turn imparts movement to the traveling belt 23 and to other parts of the machine, including the shaft 57. The revolution of the shaft 57 causes the disks 58, mounted thereon, to feed mail-matter downward tothe slot at the bottom of the feed-box, so that it falls upon the apron with the stamped margin of each envelop substantially in contact with one of the transverse. cords on the belt, one envelop or parcel being' deposited in each rectangular section of the belt-surface, which passes under the feed -box. The mail-matter so deposited upon the belt is carried forward under the cylinder 30, and the postmarking and canceling' dies thereon perform their function as the mail-matter passes under the cylinder, the printing elements being brought gradually into contact with the inail-matter by pressure rather than by sudden blows and perfect contact of the printing' elements being insured by the upward pressure of the spring-supporting' board 4:5 beneath the belt, where it passes under the im pression-cylinder. The postmarked and canceled mail-matter is discharged as the belt passes over the drivingroll 2O into the receiving-box, mounted upon the tie-rod 8 at the rear end of the machine, and when the receiving' box or trough has become lilled or sufficient mail has been canceled to justify the emptying' of the box the machine will be stopped by cutting' ofi" the current from the motors, and the receivingboX will be detached from the machine and carried to the asserting-desk for emptying.

If preferred, the receiving-box may be dispensed with, and the machine may be used in connection with any suitable carrying or conveying` mechanism by which the canceled inail-matter is automatically conveyed to any suitable point of deposit. As the mechanism for conveying the mail from the cancelingmachine to a point of deposit forms no part of the present invention, it is deemed unnecessary to describe and illustrate such mechanism `i-n this application.

Having thus described the construction and operation of my invention, what l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

l. In a machine of the class described, an endless carrier, printing mechanism arranged to operate on articles in transit en said carrier, and a 4mail -feeding mechanism, such mechanism including a feed-box having an opening' at the bottom thereof, a plurality of revoluble feeding-disks for successively feeding the articles down through the opening, a curved guard extending over said disks, and slotted to permit contact of the periphery of the disks with the articles, and a springpressed plate serving to force the articles into contact with the feeding-disks and the guard.

2. In a machine of the class described, a mail-carrying belt, printing elements arranged IOO IIO

in operative relation to said belt, and mechanism for feeding mail to said belt, said feeding mechanism including a feed-box, a springpressed follower arranged to force the mail forward along the bottom of said box, a retaining-spring arranged above said box and arching over said follower, and a rotatable member arranged in front of said follower to force mail-matter downward from said feedbox.

3. In a machine of the class described, a mail-carrying belt having the carrying-surface thereof divided by longitudinal ribs into a plurality of mail-receiving' divisions, printing elements arranged in operative relation to said belt, and mail-feeding mechanism disposed above said belt and comprising a feedboX provided with a plurality of compartments corresponding in number to the longitudinal divisions of said belt, and means in each of said compartments for automatically depositing mail upon said belt.

4. In a machine of the class described, a supporting frame, belt supporting rollers mounted in the ends of said frame, a mailcarrying belt mounted upon said rollers, a printing-cylinder supported above said belt in operative relation thereto, mail-feeding mechanism also mounted above said belt and including a rotary member extending transversely of the belt, Vsprocket-wheels mounted upon the ends of said rollers, the printing` cylinder, and the rotary member, direct driving devices for one of said belt-supporting rollers, and an endless chain running over the sprockets upon said rollers and said rotary feeding member and passing under the sprocket on the printing-cylinder.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a mail-carrier, of a printingcylinder arranged for rotation above said carrier, an inking-roller having an absorbent surface rotatably mounted above said printingcylinder and adapted to contact with said cylinder as it rotates, a shield comprising two spaced arcuate sections supported above said inking-roller and having the upper margins thereof closer together than the lower margins, and a pair of ink-spreaders attached to the inner surface of said shield-sections near the upper margins thereof and disposed normal to the surface of said inking-roller.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE WASHINGTON WHITE.

Vitnesses:

F. J. DAVIS, ZOE LITTLEFIELD. 

